Anniversary
by crescentgaia
Summary: Neal and Kate celebrate an anniversary together. This is set pre-series but has spoilers for everything so far. One Shot - Complete.


_Author's Note: I do not own White Collar or any of its characters. Please enjoy!_

*~*~*~*

Kate looked out the window as she waited for Neal to get home. She was worried, mostly for the fact that he had told her he'd been home around nine. It was getting towards eleven and she was worried that he had finally been caught. The FBI guy – she thought his name was Peter – was trying to catch Neal again. She thought they had finally got rid of the guy when they were taking time off in Chicago. Yet it always seemed that something had to go wrong. She turned away from the window, turning to their small apartment. The candles were getting low due to the fact that she lit them around nine just in case he would get home on time. She moved and blew them out, taking out the bottle of wine and one of the glasses to go sit on the couch. She uncorked the wine just as she heard the key in the lock. She decided not to get up as she poured herself a glass and put the bottle on the table. She didn't even look to the door as Neal came in, looking sheepish as ever. She smiled at that, mostly for the fact that he never conned her. Sure, he would be late, but she would get the truth on why she was late. She didn't understand why he trusted her like that, but she did. She could see that he was carrying some bags – probably take out.

"Hi," Neal said as he came over to the couch and sat down on the opposite end. She could see that the bags were from their favorite take out place. "Did I mess up dinner?" He asked, though he clearly knew the answer.

"No," she replied smoothly as she took a sip of wine. "I just hope you like your meat well done," she added as she offered the wine glass to him.

"Not really," he said as he took a sip of wine. "I'm sorry."

She nodded a yes. "I just wanted to have a nice dinner for once. Considering today, it seemed like the best time for it."

"Why, is today special?" he asked as he raised an eyebrow.

She simply stood up from the couch, not answering his question. She was mostly counting to ten and was wondering if he was really serious. That he had forgotten that it was their anniversary and she could simply blow a gasket. "Neal," she started, trying to keep the edge out of her voice but she couldn't.

"Sorry, it was a bad joke," he said as he put the glass down on the table. He got up, pulling out a long velvet black box for her. "Happy anniversary," he said as he kissed her cheek lovingly. "My Kateness."

She grinned as she heard her nickname, opening the box and nearly dropping it as she did. "Neal, where exactly did you go tonight?"

"Where I said I was going plus the jewelry store," he said with a grin. "That's bought with our own money."

She grinned and kissed his cheek lovingly before he helped her put it on. "I have your present too," she said as she got the present that was at his seat at the dining room table. She brought it over to him and watched him unwrap it, a grin on his face.

"What did you – oh," he said as he looked over the painting. It was a beautiful landscape in one of his favorite impressionists. As he looked it over again, he started to laugh. "Kate, darling, where did you get this?"

"Art sale," she said simply with a grin. "I thought you would like it. Why?"

"It's one of mine," he said to her, trying to contain his laughter. "I love it though and we're keeping it. But it is mine."

"What?!" She asked in a panic voice as she went over to look at the painting. Her heart sank as he pointed out where he had put his little signature on the piece. "I had looked it over, double checked it for everything."

"I put it out of place and I love it. I wish I hadn't sold it in the first place," he pointed out to her. "But I needed the cash but now it's back where it belongs. I love you for it," he said as he gently rested the painting against the couch. He pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead lovingly. "It's perfect. As are you."

"Flattery will get you everywhere," she said with a chuckle.

"As I have found out – shall we eat first and play in the bedroom later?" He asked.

"Yes," she said with a smile as she snuggled with him on the couch as they ate their Chinese food and watched television. It was a perfect ending to be the beginning of another year together – even if that year would have them on opposite sides of the country and opposite sides of the law.


End file.
